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6.0 History of Fingerprinting

• Historical Context

  • Long-standing Knowledge:
  • Humans have known about fingerprints for an extensive period.
  • Different societies across history have left fingerprints on various artifacts and documents.
  • Fingerprints were sometimes left unintentionally (e.g., artisans' impressions on figurines).
  • They were also intentionally recorded for specific purposes (e.g., as signatures).

• Use in Ancient China:

  • In pre-modern China, inked finger and palm impressions functioned as signatures on contracts and documents.
  • This practice served to verify the authenticity of documents in case of disputes.
  • Notable Figure: William J. Herschel (1833-1917)
  • A British colonial official pivotal in modern fingerprinting.
  • Documented his experiences in China during the mid-19th century.
  • He noted that Chinese bankers would impress their thumbs on issued notes for authenticity verification, allowing comparison between the note and the counterfoil.

Development of Modern Fingerprinting

• Identification Revolution

  • Fingerprinting offered revolutionary identification capabilities.
  • Fingerprints prove to be a more reliable identification method than merely assessing physical appearance.
  • Example: Even individuals with very similar appearances can be differentiated through their unique fingerprints.

• Competing Method: Bertillonage

  • An alternative identification method, called Bertillonage, involved measuring various body parts.
  • Created by Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914), a French police official.
  • At the time, it was unclear that fingerprinting would eventually supersede body measurements.

• Evolution in Application:

  • Over decades, fingerprinting became integral not only for identifying suspects in police registries but also in analyzing crime scenes.
  • Fingerprints left at crime scenes (latent prints) - in blood, sweat, or other substances - became crucial evidence for legal authorities worldwide.

• Impact on Forensics and Policing:

  • The rapid adoption of fingerprinting transformed modern policing and forensic practices.
  • Innovations are continually developing in the use of fingerprint evidence.
  • Ongoing research aims to enhance the accuracy and reliability of latent fingerprint evidence, influencing visualization, analysis, and evaluation processes in legal contexts.

Fingerprint Evidence in Legal Proceedings

• Utility and Limitations:
  • Fingerprint evidence is often sufficient to secure convictions in criminal cases.
  • Caution is advised against relying solely on fingerprint evidence for every conviction, as other forms of evidence (e.g., trace, impression, biological) make up the foundation of a robust case.

6.2 Principles and Patterns of Fingerprints

• Formation and Uniqueness:

  • Fingerprints comprise unique patterns formed by friction on raised (epidermal ridges) and recessed (furrows) sections on the pads of fingers and thumbs.
  • Although these ridges are found on fingers, palms, and soles, they are commonly referred to as fingerprints.
  • Unique characteristics of fingerprints:
  • Fingerprints have never been observed to repeat in any individual throughout the history of dactylography (the study of fingerprints).

• Forensic Application Evolution:

  • The study and understanding of fingerprints mainly assist forensic science in establishing an individual's presence at a crime scene.
  • Primarily associated with crime scenes and legal proceedings.
  • The 21st century expanded the role of fingerprints from criminal identification to widespread daily identification needs:
  • E.g., Employee attendance systems in workplaces, educational institutes using fingerprint scanners for attendance and other applications, financial institutions adopting fingerprint and biometric authentication methods to prevent fraud.

6.3 Types of Fingerprints

• Types Encountered at Crime Scenes:
  • When processing for fingerprint evidence at crime scenes, three fingerprint types are noteworthy:
  1. Latent fingerprints
  2. Patent fingerprints
  3. Plastic fingerprints

6.3.1 Latent Fingerprints

• Definition:
  • Latent fingerprints, also referred to as "invisible fingerprints," are not visible unless processes are conducted to reveal them (e.g., using light or powders).
  • These fingerprints can be critical to evidence collection in criminal investigations.